After roughly two years away, Cuban heavyweight Robelis Despaigne is once again on the UFC roster.
Per First Round Management, who represent Despaigne, the 37-year old has signed a deal to return to the promotion. The management firm announced the news on Friday.
Despaigne (6-2 MMA) fought for the promotion three times in 2024, winning a Performance of the Night bonus in his debut, where he finished Josh Parisian. However, back-to-back losses to Waldo Cortes-Acosta and Austen Lane sent him packing.
Following his UFC exit, Despaigne signed with Karate Combat, posting a 7-0 record, winning the single-night Last Man Standing tournament, and claiming gold by defeating fellow UFC vet Sam Alvey. Despaigne also picked up victories over UFC veterans Tim Johnson and Zac Pauga during his Karate Combat run.
Last month, Robelis Despaigne took part in the inaugural MVP MMA card on Netflix, knocking out former UFC heavyweight champion Junior Dos Santos. The stoppage came midway through the second round, and extended Despaigne’s knockout streak to four. All but one of Despaigne’s Karate Combat victories, in fact, ended inside the distance; only former GLORY light heavywieght champ Saulo Cavalari managed to avoid being stopped by the Cuban knockout artist.
No date or opponent has been announced for Despaigne’s UFC return.
